Market presence

The aircraft of choice for customers across the Americas

A full range of Airbus aircraft are in service and on order with airlines across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean – from major carriers and cargo airlines to the new generation of low-cost operators, with the business base further bolstered by bookings from the regions’ leasing companies.

Airbus' A320 Family – including the A320neo (new engine option) – is a bestseller in North America. This single-aisle product line is operated by carriers such as Air Canada, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines (which was the first U.S. airline to receive the A320neo in October 2016), United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America.

Many of the region’s carriers utilise several A320 versions in their fleets, benefitting from the aircraft family's operational commonality and flexibility to match seating capacity with actual passenger loads.

With Airbus’ creation of an A320 Family final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama – officially designated the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility – an increasing number of the market’s operators are receiving “built in America” aircraft delivered directly from this site.

Widebody A330s and A340s also are operated or ordered by North American carriers and leasing companies, including Air Canada, Air Lease Corporation, CIT Leasing, Delta Air Lines, GECAS, Hawaiian Airlines, US Airways, and ILFC. Delta joined the global customer base for the A330neo variant, ordering 25 of the A330-900 new engine option versions, and became the first operator to receive Airbus’ A330-300 242-tonne Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) variant in May 2015.

In addition, North American customers are acquiring Airbus' next-generation A350 XWB, ordered by Air Lease Corporation, CIT Leasing, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, ILFC, Intrepid Aviation Group, United Airlines and US Airways.

The reliable and efficient A320 Family is popular in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the single-aisle jetliners are flown by carriers such as AviancaTaca, Avianca Brasil, Interjet, LATAM Airlines, Sky Airline, TAME, VivaColombia, Volaris and White Jets. The Brazilian and Venezuelan Air Forces also each operate an Airbus Corporate Jet that is based on the A319.

Airbus’ widebody A330 and A340 jetliners are operated in the Latin America/Caribbean region by airlines that include Aerolineas Argentinas, AviancaTaca, Conviasa, LATAM Airlines Group and Surinam Airways. In total, Airbus provides a significant percentage of all aircraft operating in the region.

TAM Airlines became first A350 XWB operator in the Americas after receiving an A350-900 during December 2015. The milestone aircraft was delivered to LATAM Airlines Group, which is composed of TAM Airlines and LAN Airlines. LATAM is Airbus’ largest customer in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the top 10 Airbus customers worldwide.

In another vote of confidence for LATAM Airlines Group’s relationship with Airbus, it became the first operator in the Americas for Airbus’ A320neo family, taking delivery of its no. 1 A320neo in August 2016. Shortly after this milestone, Volaris received its first A320neo to become the initial NEO operator in North America.